ICARUS {d.w}

63 Days After

June rested her head on Danny's shoulder as they looked out at the setting sun. A fire crackled in front of them. Danny laced his hand with June's and looked over at her.

"I'm going to marry you."

She looked over him with a smile.

"I have no doubt about it, Danny."

He placed his other hand on her stomach.

"I'm terrified of losing you," June whispered as she placed her hands on his.

He looked over at her.

"And I am utterly in love with you."

June let out a small smile.

"I'm coming back."

"And if you don't?" June asked softly.

Danny pulled back and looked at her. The sun slowly lowered behind the horizon of the ocean. Leaving the sky soft gold.

"I love you, June."

Before June could respond she heard soft footsteps in the sand behind her. She and Danny both turned to see the approaching figure. Rafe walked towards them with his hands behind his back.

"Um, I need to talk to ya." He said as he came to a stop.

June nodded as Rafe began to walk closer to them. He sat in the sand across from June. The crackling of the fire softened as Danny let go of June's hand.

"Th-this ain't no time to leave things unsaid." Rafe hesitated. "We gotta face facts here. Fact is that we both care about June."

Rafe got quiet as he looked down at his hands. Danny leaned forwards, toward Rafe.

"You know, she's the first girl I've ever felt this way about, Rafe." He said in a low voice. "I couldn't help what happened any more than you could with Evelyn."

"This is different, Danny." Rafe looked at June. "You already lost a man you loved once I don't want to see it happen again."

June looked up.

"Protectin' me has been about Dad's death?" She asked in a confused tone.

Rafe slowly nodded his head.

"You were only sixteen when it happened. It was sudden and you were crushed, June. At that time, I realized how deeply you loved and I knew I couldn't let you lose someone you cared about again."

"You know what I remember, Rafe? The night we found out he was gone you disappeared. I didn't see you for two weeks, you even missed the services. I remember that Danny was the one to comfort mom, Danny was there for me at the funeral."

Rafe took a deep breath.

"I couldn't admit it, but trying to push you apart just pushed you together," Rafe whispered. "I realized it when June told me she was pregnant and I'm sorry."

June got quiet. That was the last thing she had excepted to hear from Rafe. Rafe looked up and over at Danny.

"Danny, don't go. Don't go on this mission."

Danny shook his head slightly.

"You've got so caught up in protecting us that you sacrificed your life for another countries war." Rafe got quiet as June spoke. "Gosh, Rafe. You were so caught up in protecting me and Danny you forgot about what it might do to you."

"You've been tryin' to protect us since we're kids, Rafe." Danny sighed. "It might be time to let us protect you."

Rafe let out a soft laugh.

"Well, you two tend to need more protection than I do."

June smiled as Rafe moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her small figure. He let go of June and looked up at Danny.

"You better take good care of my sister and this baby."

✰✰✰

The day had finally come. Danny was sitting on a wooden bench searching for her familiar face in the crowd. He straightened out his uniform and placed his hat on. Rafe sat down next to him and placed a hand on his back. Danny looked back at him and Rafe nodded his head.

June slowly walked towards the small airfield. Rafe walked towards her and she stopped. She quickly pulled him into a hung.

"Thank you." She whispered as he pulled his little sister closer.

When June pulled away she looked up at his face. He looked different in a full uniform, something June wasn't used to seeing him.

"Just make sure he comes back in one piece." She smiled as tears flooded her eyes.

Rafe nodded as he placed a quick kiss on her forehead. June watched Rafe walk towards the plane, then she moved to where Danny was sitting. He stood up and met her in front of the plane. He softly set his bags down and looked at her blurred eyes.

"You know, the only thing that scares me is that I'll never meet our baby."

June placed her hands on her stomach as Danny spoke. She quickly shook her head once he finished the sentence.

"I love you, Danny." She took a shaky breath as tears fell down her cheeks. "We'll be here, waiting for you when you come back."

Danny let a soft smile spread across his lips as he wiped the tears from June's face. He quickly pulled her closer to him and kissed her. She hugged him and when she pulled away she planted a soft kiss on his cheek.

June walked backward as Danny walked towards the plane. Something she never thought she would have to do was say goodbye to her brother and the love of her life. She watched as Danny's shadow disappeared into the small military plane. June smiled as the setting sun left a golden hue in the sky, just like the farm back home. The plane soared into the golden sky just like her father's crop duster had done many times before.